Dying To Live by Vincent J. Monteleone: Book Review

Synopsis: Dying to Live introduces Brendon Merullo, a boy with the usual childhood fantasies of winning the World Series for the Yankees, the NBA Championship for the Knicks, and the Super Bowl for the Jets. Unfortunately for the cause of New York sports, he puts away his dreams and then works-hard-and makes a success of his life, at least, according to the world’s standards. The author, Vincent J. Monteleone, shares the outcome of dreams and work colliding:

The eight-year-old version of me would actually be disgusted with the man I grew up to be. I rarely do anything that I want to do during the day because I am too busy working. Then when I get home I am too tired to do anything fun or that I want to do. Usually I just end up sitting on the couch in front of the television like a zombie until I cannot keep my eyes open any longer and it is time to go up to bed to rest up for another day of the daily grind.

But then, one day Brendon goes to the doctor and hears news he never expected to hear. From that moment on, he begins to discover the deep truths about life and death.

Dying to Live will inspire you to look at your own life in a fresh way and draw you in to turn its pages to find out what happens to Brendon Merullo.

Publisher: iUniverse

Date Published: December 29, 2015

Date Read: April 2016

No. Of Pages: 218

Source: The author sent me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW

Poignant and sincere.

The author sent me a copy in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much Vincent!

This book, isn’t just your ordinary book. It contains so much wisdom that will suck you in and give life to a whole different you, or at least a person with a whole lot different perspective towards things – things that we often neglect, things that are far more important, things that actually matter. This book was more like an eye-opener, at least it is for me. I was at the time of my life when I was lost, and struggling – struggling to fit in, struggling to make sense of the decisions I’ve made in the past, may it be the worst or the best ones, when I read this book. And I literally had goosebumps after finishing it, because this book puts my life into a perspective. Dying to Live showed me that there are things that are larger than life, that we have no control over no matter how hard we try and that it is okay. It is okay to accept defeat sometimes, it’s okay to feel bad at some point – what is important is the attitude. Whether you will face it head on or cower into submission.

This book mainly focused on giving out inspiration to people, and it definitely served its purpose on me. I had this epiphany whilst reading it, and made me value however long or short borrowed time I was offered. This book takes us to the remaining days of Brendon Merullo a wealthy man diagnosed with cancer. Dying To Live was about how he was able to move on from the devastating news, how he was able to put on a positive attitude amidst misery, how he was able to come to terms with the fact that he was only left with a little moment to spare – and he definitely made the most out of it. The story revolved how he repented all his shortcomings to his wife, to his family and to the people around him and made the most out of what is still left. It was heartbreaking enough for me because this book hits home. My father died of cancer, and I could fully relate to what the main character of the book was going through, because I saw it, I saw how my father did the same.

This book had the ability to tug on one’s heartstrings. It was able to send its message across loud and clear. Though it was not the typical novel that we are used to, it was more of recalling events that happened throughout the life of the main character and how he was able to move past it from day to day, like a journey of some sort, the beauty of it was not lost on me. I appreciated how easy it was to get into and how sincere the narration was. I know this book is not for everyone, but I think a large range of people may very well appreciate this. It has wisdom and moral that will leave you feeling renewed.

I will definitely share this to friends, and make them feel all the necessary messages this book wanted to convey. Solid 4 stars for me.

RATING:

Life is mysterious and teaches you lessons when you least expect it. it answers questions differently than when you thought you already knew the answers. The question of my life that I will never be able to answer is why did I have to start dying in order to start living? From the day we are born we all are dying, but how many of us are actually living?

ABOUT ME

EUNICE MORAL is a bookstagrammer and a blogger with a soul of a poet. Most days you can find her hunkered down in a corner reading the day away, and some days you can find her writing poems on the back of an old receipt. She lives for English Breakfast tea lattes and secondhand bookshops. Over the years she had developed a penchant for weird stories and troubled souls.

You can reach her at @nerdytalks_04 on twitter and email is moraleunice@gmail.com